Tag Archives: Cooking

Of food and spring…

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I know, I keep talking about food lately. I think I get excited about food when spring comes. Or when autumn arrives. Or during the height of summer grilling. Or when I’m thinking of a warm pot of chili in the winter. I just love food. And eating it. And cooking it. And reading/blogging/talking about it. Did I mention the eating part?

Here is something I whipped up on a whim last night after dark:

Using one half batch of Mae’s biscuits, I rolled the dough out on floured wax paper and topped with thinly sliced apples, a spritz of olive oil, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a generous shake of cinnamon. I baked it as usual and it lasted through a single sitting.

I also got into my flower beds this week – OH how glorious to have dirt under my fingernails again!

And speaking of dirt…while I was giving Cowgirl a phonics lesson last week, Farmer Boy disappeared to do his chores. He materialized again at lunch time to report that he had planted the seed potatoes. Granted, I have no idea how deep/shallow they might be, and they are awfully close together – but I am a truly poor gardener and expect he will do a much better job if I let him go at it than he would under my guidance. So we put in the peas and onions mostly according to his plans.

Guess what we found today? One of his potatoes has sprouted! Did I tell you he has sown wheat along the north edge of the garden? Yep. We are growing four rows of wheat that he planted at the same time Dad was drilling this past fall. It is so lush and green that Farmer Boy told me he wants to roll in it.

What is happening in your immediate out-of-doors?

A weekend breakfast

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I’ve been talking about my re-entry into the world of healthy food obsession. Breakfast is really important, but our mornings are also packed. So breakfast at my house on weekdays usually includes fresh fruit, eggs of some kind, and bread (I just have a smoothie myself). All things that can be made and cleaned up quickly and efficiently.

Sometimes, though, my kids love to have a heavy, “traditional” breakfast. This requires a lot more effort and usually involves nutritionally horrible things like sausage or bacon, and lots of ‘fake’ foods like “maple-flavored” syrup.

A long time ago I decided to rid my house of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It was easier and harder than I thought. Easy because there were healthy substitutes for everything, and hard because it was in EV.ER.Y.THING. I became a label reader because I decided to keep three harmful things out of my children’s diet (HFCS, color-number dyes, and anything hydrolized or hydrogenated).

But I digress. I often make my kids hashbrowns (with real, actual potatoes that I grate myself – including the peel) or healthy pancakes, and I can buy grade A maple syrup at Sam’s (or any grocery store really – I just have found the best deal at Sam’s). Did you know that maple syrup is actually quite good for you (in small amounts)? It is also a great sweetener for things like smoothies or baking.

This weekend I tried a new recipe. Here it is:

Good-for-you French Toast

1 cup milk of your choice (we used almond)
2 Tbsp oats (the original recipe called for a quarter cup of quick cooking oats, but they have no nutritional value so I used a smaller measure of rolled oats)
1 small banana (I used 1/2 because I’d cut into one the day before and wanted to use it up.)

Blend these together in your blender until smooth. Then mix in:

1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP flax seed meal

Pour over 6-8 slices of bread in a shallow dish. Allow to soak for a min or two.

I cooked these in a skillet sprayed with olive oil. They did turn out to be quite delicious, and all three of the children ate with relish. I will say, however, that the amount of oil required to keep it from sticking to the pan was generous and the meal was so heavy we could all only finish one piece at the most. If I make it again, I will be baking them instead of cooking them in a pan. I served it with berries, which was yummy.

How do you incorporate healthy breakfast at your house?

Quick, healthy snack or breakfast

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We had friends over to play this week, and one of them does not eat gluten.  I found this and whipped it up – I don’t know if they kids would have liked it because I never saw them.  But I ate it and it was y.u.m.

 

Banana Oat Cakes

 

Preheat oven to 350 (mine is convection so I used 325).

Combine in mixing bowl:

- Two ripe bananas, smashed

- Two eggs, beaten

Add:

- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (NOT quick cooking!  That’s like white flour – no nutrients left)

- 1/4 tsp salt (optional – we use sea salt)

- 1/4 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup milk (um, I used some milk and some maple syrup.)

 

Pour into lightly oiled 9×9 or 8×8 pan (I just used a pie plate) and back for around 25 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch.  Keeps well in the fridge and reheats nicely.

Inspiration needed…

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Hi everybody – it’s been a whacktacular week around here.  (and it’s only Monday!  I know!)  My mother-in-law (I’ve mentioned before she’s battling metastatic breast cancer) has been in the hospital the last few days, so if you are a praying sort please lob a few up for her.  Otherwise, please send your positive thoughts/warm vibes her way.

 

So I need some inspiration to keep my house together.  Because when my friend who happens to be my husband’s mom is in the hospital and it’s a billion degrees outside and we are cutting/raking/baling hay on the farm…well my house tends to fall apart.  I’ve found that I tend to ignore things, which really just makes everything worse.  So here’s to keeping my house tidy and my kitchen running, because seriously everything is easier when I can keep those things in order.

 

You all know how I feel about flylady.  I fell off the wagon (again) when we started our painting project, but it’s time to get back on.

 

Everything needs a place.  This ties right into flylady’s decluttering theories – but seriously I need to find a place for things or get rid of them.

 

If I can’t do it all, whatever I can do in ten minutes is better than nothing.  It will be an improvement over the way it was before, and every little bit counts!

 

Give the kids jobs.  They are more than capable, and even if they don’t always do it “my way” it will be better than it was!

 

DO NOT let the laundry get ahead of me.

 

Keep the living room presentable and the kitchen clear.  That way, no matter what else is happening, I can receive an unexpected visitor or get a meal together without being overwhelmed and depressed later.

 

Eat simply – raw foods, whole grains, vegetables, fruits.  Last night I made the kids grilled cheese sandwiches with apples and blueberries.  They found it to be a drool-inducing and moan-inspiring meal.

 

How do you all keep things together?  I’d love some handy tips.  Remember, every little thing helps.

Copy Cat

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Here is a great recipe I got from Jamie Oliver via a magazine, I only subscribe to two magazines and the rest I get for free for Lord-only-knows what reason. Point here being that it was not one of the two magazines I actually DESIRE to receive, so I’m not naming the uninvited rag, though I feel guilty saying that because I found this recipe!

 

I am re-obsessing about getting veggies into everything I can, all the time.  After serving this sauce by itself on noodles (lukewarm reviews) I used it to spice up some grilled burgers (our own grass-fattened beef) – kids said best burgers ever.  Then I made a lasagna.  My Farmer said it was so fancy and delicious he thought I purchased it instead of making it myself (I know, let’s choose to take that as a compliment).   In fairness to him, that may just be the way I received the wording he chose to express that he enjoyed it – but he was surprised it came from our own kitchen!  The children each had THREE helpings of the lasagna.  SCORE.  If you want to duplicate it, throw whatever veggies you have in your food processor (heavy on the red bell pepper) and finely chop.  Saute veggies in 1 lb of meat.  Mix one cup crumbled feta with three eggs.  Layer the meat mixture and eggs with lasagna noodles and the sauce recipe I’m about to type.  Put a little bit of cheese on top.  Ignore this writer’s complete distraction from the original topic (the SAUCE recipe!), run-on sentences, and general vomit-typing (when thoughts are coming into your head so fast you vomit them onto the keyboard as fast as you can regardless of their ability to make sense together or be followed as rational thought at all).

 

 

Perfect Tomato Sauce

Peel 2 small onions, trim 1 small leek (thoroughly washed of sand) and 2 stalkscelery, halve and deseed 2red bell peppers, then roughly chop everything. Use the coarse side of a box grater to grate 2 zucchinis and 2 carrots.

Heat a large saucepan (big enough to hold all the ingredients) over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, followed by all your chopped and grated veggies. Add a large pinch of dried oregano and 2 bay leaves, then cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes with the lid on, or until the vegetables are soft but not starting to brown.

Meanwhile, peel 1 small butternut squash, then carefully cut it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds, and coarsely grate the flesh. Add it to the pan of vegetables. Add 4 (14.5 oz) cans plum tomatoes with juice, 2 cups water, a pinch of sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft. Take the pan off the heat, spoon out the bay leaves, and let the sauce cool slightly before blitzing with a stick blender until smooth (or use a blender or food processor in batches, but make sure the lid is secure). Makes 13 cups.

 

 

Here is mine, simmering while I grated the squash.  I remember now that I did not have a bay leaf, FYI.  I let the sauce simmer while I finished the painting project I mentioned last week.  And yes, that’s the breakfast smoothie I’ve currently become addicted to.  Let me know if your family likes this sauce!

Sweet gift idea

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Farmer Boy’s Alphabet Phonics tutor has been such a blessing to our family.  I am so thankful for her.  We wanted to give her something – just because.

 

You know about the cookie recipe from last week?  We baked some of those up.  When it came time to package a few of them, I couldn’t decide what to do…I wanted it to look nice.  But without plastic wrap or throw-away stuff.

 

Then, inspiration struck.  My mother makes incredible plum jelly for us each year.  I am always saving the jars to give her for the next batch.  Except for this one:

 

Re-used gift ribbon & there you go.  Pretty AND practical.  Heart it.

Green Beans – with a twist!

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Here is a popular dish we started making at my house recently.  It is fun to eat, delicious as cold leftovers (when there are any) and very good for you!

 

It is also very fun to prepare with your kids.  Here is all that is required:

 

Wash and trim your green beans.

 

Spray a cooking sheet with extra virgin olive oil, spread the beans in a single layer, and spray the top of them.  I like to use a pump-sprayer so I can use my own olive oil and refill it as needed.

 

Add whatever seasonings you may like and pop them in a hot oven (mine was at 400 degrees on convection).  Roast for about ten minutes or until some of the tops are darkening.  We seasoned ours with sea salt and all-purpose seasoning.  I have used flavors with more pepper and that is also a favorite.  You could also use just the salt.

 

 

Serve immediately.  These will still have a delicious crunch and are a fun finger food for littles.  We made ours for lunch and had it with fruit salad, nuts and pasta tossed in olive oil.  A few of us tried the beans with the noodles and that was pretty darn good as well.

 

 

One of my sisters-in-law has me addicted to roasted vegetables (try cauliflower with the same method – you will never see it the same way).  What tips do you have for vegetables?

A great cookie recipe

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I’ve been inspired to renew my commitment to healthier eating after reading my friend’s blog bread with honey.  I wanted to make a treat of some sort yesterday when I opened a new jar of our favorite peanut butter, and I found this:

 

Peanut Butter Cookies made with no sugar or animal fat.

 

The reviews are in and it’s thumbs up around the table here.  I cooked the first sheet a bit too long, so the texture was chalky.  The second set has a moister, more pleasing cookie-like softness without the dryness.  I’m also considering using applesauce in place of some of the maple syrup and oil next time (great suggestion from my mother-in-law).  Oh – and I used creamy peanut butter instead of chunky and that seemed to work out just fine.  Also I baked these at 325 in my convection oven instead of 350 – but I reduce the temperature on almost every recipe I bake so go with whatever your  oven usually does for you.

 

Keep in mind that you need to use REAL maple syrup.   If you’ve been buying imitation syrup (on the label it will say something like “with the taste of real maple syrup” and on the back it will list high-fructose corn syrup as the #1 ingredient) you are in for sticker shock.  As with most things that are not bad for you, it costs more because it is not made of a by-product or sustained by chemical preservatives and therefore requires a completely different (and usually more labor-intensive) method to bring it to your table.  This, in turn, means it costs more for you, the consumer, in monetary terms.

 

I like to think of it this way:  It is usually true that you get what you pay for.  I have found this to cross over to most aspects of life.  Whether you are paying in time, elbow grease, sweat, practice or dollars, the more you put in the better the results tend to be.  This often makes something you want to buy worth waiting and saving for in order to invest in something that will last.  The same is true with food – the more expensive foods will reap the greatest benefit and do the most for you.  Also, they usually taste much better once you get used to eating actual food instead of nutritionally-fortified boxed items.

 

You can buy pasta that is incredibly inexpensive, and it will keep you from starving.  However, your body will suffer from the poor nutrition, lack of fiber, and energy expended digesting something with so little return.  You can also buy really healthy pasta (our favorite is this kind) but it is going to cost a lot more because it has *real food* as the ingredients.  I could probably make extremely healthy pasta and it would be moan-worthy, but only after a lot of practice and time.  So I’m going with the box version for now and that is close enough.

 

Fruits and vegetables are another great example.  It is unarguable that a diet high in vegetables and fruits is the healthiest, and the more you consume raw, the better.  It’s like breastfeeding – indisputable fact that it is what a body needs and performs best with.  You can buy canned fruits and vegetables, and yes they are still nutritious though many of them have added salt or preservatives you probably want to avoid.  Frozen is a bit more expensive, but frozen vegetables retain more of their nutrients than canned vegetables do.  But the best for you?  Of course fresh vegetables are healthiest, and eating them raw is the best way to get every good thing you can from them.  So as you would guess, fresh vegetables not only cost the most, but if you are cooking them require a different level of involvement to prepare.  But it’s worth it.

 

I have also found that, since I began working to change how we were eating (around nine years ago) I have come around to the understanding that it may *seem* like a lot more work to make peanut butter cookies from scratch with all-natural ingredients – but actually it is not. It’s just a different way of doing things, and the more practice I have had with making meals from “whole” foods, the easier and simpler it has become.  Not to beat a dead horse, but once again it is like breastfeeding.  Our culture has a strange idea that bottle-feeding an infant is easier than breastfeeding.  In actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth – artificially feeding a baby is SO much more work, between purchasing and mixing the formula, washing and sterilizing all the equipment, not to mention the cost of all that formula and equipment!  I was fortunate that I saw other mothers breastfeeding, so I had an idea of how it would work for me.  Sit down (or sling up) and the only effort required on my part was lowering the flap on my nursing tank.  It required an investment of practice and frustration instead of dollars, but the payoff was astronomical.  (BTW kudos to all those mothers who pumped and bottle-fed.  It is all the work of formula-feeding, but with the medical benefits of breastfeeding.)

 

Feeding my family with simple recipes made from a variety of foods in as close to their natural state as possible – that’s my mantra and I’m sticking to it.  I hope your family enjoys these cookies as much as mine have!

Start the week with a “High-Five”

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Here are some fun things I discovered last week.

 

A friend of mine who I want to be like when I grow up started a blog of her own:  bread with honey and I must say I have been enjoying it *almost* as much as when I get to spend time with her in person.

 

I discovered these beautiful books being reviewed at a fun homeschool curriculum review site:  Beginning Readers from All About Spelling.  (PS my birthday is coming up in June…hinthint.)

 

This site, Homeschool Reviews, is a great source of information for anyone making decisions about homeschooling for their family.

 

Here is a great recipe I found I’d like to try for breakfast next week.

 

And last, though it’s not a new discovery for me, here is one of my favorite spring-time poems:

 

 

Putting in the Seed
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Robert Frost (1920)
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You come to fetch me from my work to-night
When supper’s on the table, and we’ll see
If I can leave off burying the white
Soft petals fallen from the apple tree.
(Soft petals, yes, but not so barren quite,
Mingled with these, smooth bean and wrinkled pea;)
And go along with you ere you lose sight
Of what you came for and become like me,
Slave to a springtime passion for the earth.
How Love burns through the Putting in the Seed
On through the watching for that early birth
When, just as the soil tarnishes with weed, 

The sturdy seedling with arched body comes
Shouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs.

 

 

 

Oooooooo that Robert.  He is steamy!  This poem makes me feel old and young at the same time – as most of Frost’s poems do.